


From Across The Hallway

by agrimreminder (orphan_account)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Bottom Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Eren Is a Little Shit, LEVI IS A LITTLE OOC, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) Has Issues, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) Is Awkward, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) Needs a Hug, Levi had a bad childhood, Levis mom is not Kuchel in this fyi, M/M, Older Eren Yeager, Trigger Warnings, Voyeurism, Younger Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), i guess, kind of, mentions of rape/non-con, not rly but heads up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-07-25 16:53:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7540516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/agrimreminder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi's never minded the emptiness.</p><p>It's like a second nature, the calm and quiet that comes along with it is soothing for his soul that withers away piece by piece every time that stupid, gorgeous stranger (Levi really should stop calling him that; they've known eachother for several months now) brings another ditzy bombshell home to fuck.</p><p>But Levi can't exactly say he misses it, either.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Across The Hallway

**Author's Note:**

> HI! So, I'm sorry if the summary sucks, I'm not really good at them. Anyway, this is an AU that is very loosely based upon a movie titled North Texas Sea (it's a foreign LGBTQ+ movie on Netflix), and the only idea I really took was the room rental. But whatever forever.
> 
> And, before you go batshit, yes, it is underage for the majority of the fic; Levi is 14 when 20 year old Eren first starts renting the room. Basically, it's a time span until he's 18, and then some from what I have mapped out so far.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy!

The room had been empty for almost 4 years now. No one showed an ounce of interest in renting out the damn thing. Why would they?

It was small, only large enough to fit a twin bed and a small dresser. The closet was small as well, barely able to hold Levi's scrawny build, let alone more than three days worth of clothing. The paint on the walls was chipping and peeling away, the floorboards were loose and squeaky, and the only source of light was a small square window on the cieling. To be blunt: it was a shit-hole.

Which was why Levi was so confused when his mother told him to put on his best Sunday clothes and meet her in the living room, because, "We did it, my boy! We have a renter!"

Levi did as he was told, solely because his mom never talked to him; she always had her lips super-glued to the rim of a cheap liquor bottle or some sleazy buisnessman's dick. He took a shower (spent 45 minutes in there, and would've spent longer if his mom hadn't come by, banging on the door for him to "hurry the fuck up"), brushed his teeth (four times), and scoured his closet for something to wear.

Honestly, his "Sunday best" was a pair of black, ripped skinny jeans, a plain white T-shirt, and a pair of white Converse. He ignored his mom's protests about it when he walked out of his room.

Levi had to do a double-take, however, when he finally did acknowledge her. She looked like she got hit in the face with a Sephora pie. Her smokey-eye was too smokey, the greys and blacks not blended at all, her blush was packed on more than it should be, and her lipstick was carelessly thrown on, the lines muddy rather than crisp. Her clothes looked like things she would've worn years ago, when she still worked: a sleek, red button up tucked into a form-fitting (a little too form-fitting if you ask Levi) pencil skirt, and black Mary Janes. Her long black hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and the outfit really didn't go together, but Levi kept his mouth shut.

His mom scolded him once more for having wet hair before rushing off to put some tea on for the renter. Levi could tell it was her first time in the kitchen in 10 years, so he took over for her and told her to tidy up the living room.

As Levi waited for the water to boil, he started hoping this renter wasn't some perverted old geezer like the last one was. The asshole always drank up their cherry Dr. Peppers.

Levi loved cherry Dr. Pepper.

He hoped the new renter hated cherry Dr. Pepper.

\---------

Levi was setting three cups of tea on the dining table when the doorbell sounded. He straightened up and patted his slightly-damp-from-tea-steam hands on his jeans, grimacing when a sickeningly sweet voice called out from another room.

"Levi." His mother's voice, laced in sing-song and a slur from the shots she was now undoubtedly taking, carried from her bedroom into the dining area. "Be a doll and get the door, would you? Don't scare him off!"

Levi glared at her through the walls as if she could see him, because her façade was total bullshit and see-through and he wanted her to know it.

"Sure thing, mom," he called back with equal sarcastic sweetness in his voice.

Trying - and failing - to calm himself down because his mom was an absolute mess and he was the one who had to deal with it, he stomped over to the door, put on his best 'You're-moving-in-and-I'm-not-happy-about-it' face and with little to no grace, he threw open the door.

And stared.

He stared for a long time, because there was a gorgeous stranger on his porch and holy fuck, his eyes were pretty.

The stranger had luggage with him, and it took a moment for Levi to process why. His eyes blew wide open.

"Holy shit."

The stranger's eyebrows raised in surprise. Levi didn't care because, fuck, he had a really nice voice. "Uh, hey? I'm the new renter for this place. I think..."

Levi didn't say anything, just moved to the side so the stranger could walk in. He nodded in thanks as he stepped through, rolling two suitcases in behind him.

Levi thought he was the prettiest human being alive: toussled, unkempt brown hair perfectly framing a sun-kissed, angular face that bedded the most gorgeous pair of eyes Levi had ever seen. They were a mixture of vibrant greens and unsettling-but-still-pretty-as-fuck blues with small, but bright as all Hell, flecks of gold near the irises.

He was tall - at least 5 inches taller than Levi - and was muscular and lanky in a way most men wanted to be but never were. The jeans he was wearing left nothing to the imagination, and Levi could see taut back muscles through the T-shirt that clung to the stranger's body like a lifeline.

Levi had some not-so-fleeting thoughts about what it would feel like to run his hands through the stranger's hair, to suck a bruise on that sculpted jawline, to rake his nails down that absolutely sinful back-

Levi realized with a start that he had been standing next to the open door, gaping at the object of his desire for a little too long to be considered normal and slammed the door shut, eyes following the brass doorknob.

He blinked, eyes momentarily widening once he looked up to see the stranger staring intently back at him. His voice, thankfully, didn't waver when he hollered for his mom, eyes still locked on those goddamned oceans.

"Mom! The renter's here! Stop snorting whatever it is that you're snorting and get out here and say hello!"

The stranger's eyes widened and he whipped around just in time to see Levi's mom walking from around the corner, a fake-as-fuck smile plastered onto her face.

"Ah, ha, the kid's a joker," his mother sneered as politely as she could. She held her hand out towards the stranger. "I'm Melissa Ackerman, and this," she vaguely motioned to Levi, "Is my son, Levi. Levi say hello."

Levi just grunted an acknowledgement, because Heaven forbid he actually say real words directly to the beautiful specimen in front of him.

The stranger blinked and Levi wanted to know his name. Figured he was about to get it, so he kept his mouth shut.

"Uh, hi, Melissa, Levi, I'm Eren Jaeger. Thank you for letting me stay here." The stranger - Eren - bowed slightly, and Levi looked at his mom, who looked just as bewildered as he was sure he did. "Please take care of me."

Levi cleared his throat before narrowing his eyes, the sound causing Eren to glance up at him. "Oi, that's really not necessary. We don't do formalities." He paused for a moment before gesturing to the still-hot cups of tea left forgotten on the dining room table. "I made tea. Go sit down."

The stranger straightened up and the three walked over to the table, Levi and his mom taking one side while Eren took the other.

There wad a long stretch of silence before Levi heaved out a sigh and took a sip of his tea before speaking. "Before you two make me want to kill myself, let's start with the basics. Eren." The stranger sat up noticeably straighter at the call of his name.

"Yes?"

"Why are you going about room rental instead of getting a house or something?"

Eren opened his mouth, but Levi's mother interrupted him.

"Oh, shit! I'm going to be late! Levi, don't be rude. Call me if you need anything." She got up and left without another word. Levi's eyebrows furrowed momentarily as he tried to figure out where the fuck his unemployed mother could be going dressed up that nice, then decided he didn't want to know.

The moment Levi heard the door slam, an unsettling thick tension filled the air and the stranger coughed awkwardly into the crook of his elbow. Levi cleared his throat.

"Answer my question." Way to be nice. Levi internally groaned at himself.

Eren's eyes - his pretty, gorgeous as fuck eyes - snapped towards him and he gave a sheepish smile.

"Sorry," he uttered. "How inconsiderate of me. I am doing room rental simply because it's the cheapest route. Sent my sister through college, and I just need some time to get back on my feet."

Levi nodded. So this guy had a sister in college? How old was he? "How old is your sister?"

Eren smiled fondly. "Well, she's my adoptive sister; her parents died when she was young. She's twenty."

"And you are...?"

"Twenty years old as well. What about you? Out of high scool and still living with your mom?"

Levi paused, because did this stranger really thing he was out of high school? "Uh," Levi said awkwardly. "'M actually fourteen."

The stranger's eyes widened and a deep scarlet color danced across his cheeks. "No fucking way," he murmured.

"Afraid so." Levi was silent for a moment before asking, "Why is that so hard to believe? And why are you embarrassed?"

Eren took a gulp of his tea before setting the cup down and shrugging. "'S nothing, really."

Levi's eyes narrowed, but he let the topic be, instead opting to get to know the stranger across fro him.

"Where'd you grow up?"

They spent the next few hours talking about their lives and hopes and dreams; it was pretty pathetic, if you ask Levi.

But Levi learned that Eren grew up in a small town far away from where Levi lived called Shiganshina. He also learned Eren's mother died of Leukemia when he was 10 and he stated, pretty bluntly, that his "asshole, cocksucking, dead-beat dad" left him for dead after that. Levi simply empathized with a small tsk and asked Eren what his favorite color was. (It was pale blue.)

After learning Eren's favorite food was spaghetti, Levi decided he was hungry and would make that. Eren tried to insist it wasn't necessary, but Levi just brushed off his protests and set to work.

Half an hour and three water burns later, the two were back at the dining table, eating (well, Eren was inhaling) their dinner.

The ate in relative silence, and while Levi did the dishes, the stranger went to his room to unpack.

They met up in the living room some time later, sat on the couch. Levi picked up the remote and turned on the tv, looking at Eren to ask what he wanted to watch, but never getting the chance to do so because the television was emitting a nice glow onto the stranger's face, softening his features and radiating off of his beautifully tan skin. And maybe Levi was starinf too long, because Eren shifted in his seat and glanced at Levi, cheeks once again set ablaze.

"What?" His voice was low and quiet.

"Nothing." Levi turned to the tv and Eren shifted again next to him.

"Can you sit still, or is that something you're incapable of?"

"Oh, sorry." He sat ramrod stiff and Levi huffed out a breath, annoyed.

"You don't have to sit like you've got a pole shoved up your ass, either."

"How are you fourteen?"

Levi looked at the stranger, breath catching in his throat at the way his eyes glimmered in the near darkness. "Huh?"

Eren waved his hands wildly in the air. "You! Fourteen! You're so mature and not to mention you have more of a mouth than I did when I was your age. It just doesn't make sense."

"I'm mature because I've been through some shit."

"Oh, yeah, fourteen year old problems where you're worrying about your next quiz or if the girl you like likes you back. That's some shit, yep."

Levi glared at Eren and sneered. "No, but losing your dad to your mom's drug and drinking problem, having your mom ignore you and call you a piece of shit any time she does and her be known as the town whore, being raped every fucking day by someone you lived with, and being openly gay in a town - and family - full of conservatives is some shit if I've ever seen any."

Levi was fuming; just because he was fourteen didn't mean he had to fall to society's standards and keep his nose and opinions buried in his phone.

The stranger was quiet, the silence deafening to Levi.

Finally he spoke. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

His apologeticness irritated Levi. "Don't be; you didn't do anything."

"Yes, I did. I assumed and I shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

Levi didn't say anything, so Eren continued.

"And your mother shouldn't ignore you or call you those names. You seem like an upstanding person. And whichever asshole raped you deserves to rot in Hell, as does anyone else who taunts you for being gay."

Eren was breathing heavily by tne end of his spiel, visibly ticked off from Levi's confession. 

Levi knew he had to say something, but his eyelids were growing heavy and all he could do was mutter, "You're really pretty, Eren."

He felt the stranger's gaze burning into the side of his head as he fell asleep, dreaming of pools of sparkling greens and blues.

**Author's Note:**

> So I hope you enjoyed this. I rushed to finish it. I'll be editing later, but if you found errors or have any suggestions, let me know!
> 
> Comment and kudos! Thanks for reading! Xx


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